Cotton Sheep to Help You Sleep [Azaleah | Blitz]

I spy with my little eye: a cloud.

I spy with my little eye: a boy.

Playing games with yourself to keep from getting lonely was something I'd become used to. Having a conversation with yourself was plain embarrassing and walking alone staring into the distance was just as bad.

You needed to look as if your mind was active, and I'd found playing childish games did the job perfectly.

My eyes cling onto the boy sat alone at a table in the distance. He appears to be doing something too -- except he probably has different motives. I imagine he's the type to not care what other people think, or maybe I'm just too paranoid.

I move towards him slowly, watching from a distance as his hands ruffle around in his pockets. What is he doing? I raise my eyebrows and continue to move closer out of curiosity. Eventually, I find myself watching over him with wide eyes and a face that was too close to a stranger to hide.

For a moment, I battle with myself about asking him straight up about what he was doing, but I decide against it.

"Are you meant to have your feet up like that?"

The boy stumbles around in his chair, two legs rising of the ground as he rocks back and forth for what seems like forever. However in the few seconds that pass, he managed to regain his balance and he falls towards the table with no elegance.

He looks up to me with widened eyes and a face drawn with terror. I arch a brow and express apology in my expression.

"I uh I... It's more comfortable."

I give a swift nod and half a smile. My intentions were never to frighten the boy or make him feel less than pleasant -- it was my curiosity that brought me here and nothing else.

"I, um, hi."

Maybe approaching this boy would turn out to be a bad idea after all.

"Hello there." I say, forcing a smile onto my face. Human interaction didn't seem to be either of our strong points. This weakness of mine was probably why I seemed to avoid the question I'd been dying to ask at all costs.

"How are you. . ?"

I say awkwardly, rocking back and forth on the heels of my boots.

"I'm... good I guess?" He replies, to which I repeat my simple nod. The boy's voice trembles and shakes like a leaf caught in the wind. It appears as if there is no certainty to his answers, but I shrug it off.

Who was I to criticise?

"W-what about you?"

"I'm fine."  I give a chirpy smile hoping to reassure him that I am not monster. "But I was wondering about what you were doing before I got here."

The weight on my shoulders immediately disappears as I deliver the line fluently and clearly. Now, perhaps my curiosity will not kill the cat and everything will all be calm. No paranoia, no wondering, just answers.

Or so I hope.

I lean a hand on the table as I look to him. Maybe in this, I'll break his nervousness as I just did mine, although he seems to shy of an egg to crack. If it comes to it, I might just have to leave him to it.